Anti-ray eye shield



April 1962 J- H. CROSSON 3,030,628

ANTI-RAY EYE snmw Filed Dec. 27, 1960 INVENTOR fian/fCrosson.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,030,628 ANTI-RAY EYE SI-ELD Jean H.Crosson, Natick, Mass, assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No.78,793 4 Claims. (Cl. 2--14) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952),see. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to face masks and more particularly to such masksas relate to protection of the face from radiation whether thermal,glare, radioactivity or any other form of radiation. Ordinary tinted orpolarized lens protect from glare but are unsatisfactory against thermalor radioactive rays. The mask of the invention is particularly adaptedto protect against glare and radioactive radiation. Typical anti-glarescreens utilize a screen formed from rigid louvres as disclosed in theU.S. Patent Nos. 2,232,455 and 2,824,308. The latter utilizing asscreens material according to U.S. Patent Nos. 2,078,940 or 2,194,222.The rigidity of the screens of these patents and the nature of thescreens which comprise rigid horizontal louvres, prevent the screensfrom being curved or bent whereby they permit vision only in a forwarddirection and prohibit any side vision whatsoever.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to providean improved viewing screen for a face mask of the class described Afurther object is to provide an improved viewing screen for a face maskwhich comprises a plurality of sections or panels hingedly connectedtogether.

A further object is to provide such a screen which includes at least onecentral panel or section which is hingedly connected to at least oneside panel on each side thereof, said central panel or panels having awidth corresponding to the span of a pair of adult human eyes.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of theinvention, the structure of the several elements thereof, combinationsand subcombinations of such elements with each other and/or a face mask,all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art uponreference to the attached drawing illustrating one species of theinvention and to the following specification wherein the invention isshown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a face mask according to theinvention, the same being shown in a flattened, inoperative position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the same;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the same showing the parts in theoperative positions;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view with the parts in the operativepositions;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of thehinged connection between two adjacent sections or panels; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane of the line 66 of FIG- URE 5Q Referring specifically to thedrawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts in allviews, 10 designates generally a face mask which is formed of anysuitable flexible opaque material and which may include any suitablelooped suspension tapes and fasteners 11, 12 respectively and/or one ormore suspension hooks 13 along the top edge for connecting the mask toany suitable headgear, not shown. The mask 10 may also include a mouthopening 14 which is preferably provided with a cover flap 15 which mayhave its lower edge hingedly secured to the mask body below the mouthopening 14 by any suitable mean such as the line of stitching 17. Theupper edge of the flap 15 may be readily detachably secured to the maskby any suitable separable fastener means 16 such as the so-calledzipperless-zipper of U.S. Patent No. 2,717,437. Mask 10 is also formedwith a viewing opening 18 which may be of any suitable shape but whichis substantially longer than the span of a pair of adult human eyes fora purpose to be apparent hereinafter. The inside of mask 10, FIGURE 2,may be provided with any suitable nose and forehead pads 19 and 20respectively which may be formed of foam rubber or other suitablematerial.

The viewing opening 18 is screened by any suitable rigid reticulatedmaterial but preferably a material com prising a plurality of rigidhorizontally disposed louvres 21 which are maintained in tilted andspaced parallel relation by laterally spaced vertical and paralleltwisted wires or the like 22 as disclosed in Patents Nos. 2,078,940 or2,194,222 aforesaid. In the embodiment illustrated, the viewing screencomprises at least one central section 23 flanked on each side by atleast one side section or panel 24. The central panel or section 23includes vertical side edges which are defined by substantially verticalposts 25 which are suitably secured to the ends of the louvres 21 in anysuitable manner, not shown, or the posts 25 may comprise two of thetwisted wires or the like 22. Posts. 25 of adjacent sections which arejuxtaposed as in FIGURE 6, are secured together for hinge movement bysuitable hinges 26. In the embodiment illustrated, each of such hinges26 comprises a single length of spring wire wnapped in a spiral aboutthe juxtaposed posts 25. This arrangement holds the adjacent sections 23and 24 together in all positions of the same as the resiliency of thewire and its spiral arrangement permits the convolutions thereof toconform to the changing shape of the posts 25 as the section or panelsare swung on the hinges 26, as illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 6.

It is apparent from the foregoing, that the mask of the invention can bepacked fiat for shipment or storage as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2;may be foldeed into the operative positions of FIGURES 3 and 4 whereinit permits lateral vision in both directions as well as forward vision;or the parts mounting the end panels or sections 24 of the screen may befolded inwardly atop the center section 23 to form a more compact butslightly thicker package than the flat arrangement of FIGURE 1. Also, itis apparent that the arrangement combinm the best features of the louvretype of glare shield with the flexibility of a plastic transparentscreen.

Moreover, while there has been shown and described what is nowconsidered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should beunderstood that the same is susceptible of still other forms andexpressions. Consequently, the invention is not considered as beinglimited to the structure shown and described hereinabove, but only ashereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A face mask, comprising a plurality of panels of rigid reticulatedmaterial disposed in side-by-side relation, substantially verticalhinges hingedly connecting said panels together in edge-to-edge relationto provide at least one central panel providing vision in a forwarddirection therethrough, said central panel being flanked on each side byat least one side panel, said side panels being adapted to be swung onsaid hinges from positions in coplanar relationto said central panel torearwardly extending positions providing lateral vision-therethrough inboth lateral directions.

2. A face mask comprising a plurality of panels of rigid reticulatedmaterial disposed in sideby-side relation, there being at least onecentral panel providing vision in a forward direction therethrough, saidcentral panel being'flanked on each side by at least one side panel,said side and central panels including juxtaposed side edges defined bysubstantially vertical juxtaposed post members, means encirclingeach-juxtaposed pair of post members to provide a hinge connecting eachside panel to said central panel, and said side panels being adapted tobe swung on said hinges from positions in coplanar relation to saidcentral panel to rearwardly extending positions providing lateral visiontherethrough in both lateral directions.

3. A face mask according to claim 2, wherein each of said last namedmeans comprises a coil spring.

4. A face mask comprising a plurality of panels of rigid reticulatedmaterial disposed in side-by-side relation, there being at least onecentral panel providing vision in References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,940 Grebe May 4, 1937 2,212,945Lehrfeld Aug. 27, 1940 2,232,455 Hebrard Feb. 18, 1941 2,280,055Andersen Apr. 21, 1942 2,547,632 Ewing et al. Apr. 3, 1951 2,824,308Duncan Feb. 25, 1958 2,857,598 Augustin Oct. 28, 1958 Jim

